Improvement in devices for driving nails



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLARD BASCOM, OF NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO ROBERT FOULDS, OF BROOKLYN, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT lN DEVICES FOR DRIVING NAILS, &c., IN PICTURE AND OTHER FRAMES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 39.95., dated September 15, 1863.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLARD BAscoM, ot' the city and State of New York, have invented, made, and applied to use a certain new and useful means for driving nails in the manufacture of picture-frames and other articles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of my said invention, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making part of this specification, wherein- I Figure l is an elevation of my said machine. Fig. 2 is a cross-section. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan with part of the frame removed. Fig. 4. is an elevation, and Fig..5 is a plan, of the frame-holder and Fig. 6 is a plan of the ejecting-pins and board containing the same.

Similar marks of reference denote the same parts.

Machines have heretofore been made for introducing and withdrawing an awl, and for driving nails; but the driving mechanism has generally been separate and distinct from the perforating device.

The nature of my said invention consists in an arrangement of hammer and awl combined, whereby the awl can be actuated to pierce the wood forming the picture-frame or other article, and then the hammer is swung in such a manner as to cover the awl and be operative in driving the nail, the same mechanism that is employed for moving the awl actuating the hammer, so that the hole can be pierced and the nail driven without the frame or other article being moved, thus effecting a great saving of time and insuring better work, because the frame remains stationary while the hole is perforated, the nail introduced, and the driving performed.

In the drawings, a represents a bench receiving my machine. b b are standards or a frame, between which is the frame c, tted on slides d d, so that it can be moved up and down, and for this purpose a treadle, e, and rod f are employed to draw the frame down, while a spring of any suitable character, as represented at g, or a weight is to be employed to raise the frame up. The lower portion of this frame c is formed by two cross-bars, o', upon which are stocks t fi, clamped in any desired position by a screw, k, passing between said bars and fitted with followers or nuts on the under side. The end of each screw k is formed with a hole or socket receiving the awl l, lwhich is retained by a tapering nut over the split end of the screw or otherwise, and from the back portion of each stock t' is a hammer, m, that is jointed to said stock and formed with an elbow-handle, so that ordinarily the hammer hangs down, as indicated by dotted lines, Fig. 2, and the end of the hammer is formed hollow or as a slot, so that when the hammer is drawn up to the awl the end of the hammer takes the lower end oi' the screw k. The awl itselfis within the slot ot' the hammerhead, and the driving-face of the hammer is immediately below said awl. When the hammer is released, it swings backward and downward by its own weight, and to prevent oscillation when released I provide the spring at 1,

that produces a suflicient friction to retain the hammer steadily at the point to which it may swing. The means made use of to draw these hammers forward to cover the awls may be of any desired kind; but I prefer and use a string or catgut, forming a loop, as at n, the ends being attached to said hammers. This loop should be placed over the neck of the operative. The frame or other article to be nailed is placed below the awl or awls, the treadle e brought down to form the hole or holes. The attendant then places a nail in each hole, and by a slight backward movement of the neck draws the hammer or hammers forward to cover the awl or awls, and he then drives the nail or nails by a second downward movement of the treadles.

In order to aid in the withdrawal of the awls from the wood, I make use of the blocks of india-rubber o, that are compressed by the act of driving in the awls, and, expanding, aid in their withdrawal.

The device I employ forholding the various pieces together that compose the frame for a picture, slate, or other article is as follows: I provide the frame-holder q, formed of a board with projecting end pieces, 2 2, and springs 3 3 on the sides, leaving a recess of the size of the frame required. Into this the pieces forming the frame are introduced, the springs allowing them to be pressed in, in order that they may be held firmly. This frame-holder q and the frame r are applied to the nailing-machine against the guide-fence s upon a movable blockya, that is of a size adapted to the size of frame, so that the upper side of said frame may be nearly even with the top ot' the fence s, and adjustable guides tttalre the sides of q to bring it into position, and in order to retain the bottom edge of the holder q against s, I provide pins, as at 4 4, in u., that take into holes in g. The p irts being in position, as shown in Fig. l, the frame is nailed together on one side, and then With the holder turned over and nailed together on the other side, the piercing and nailing being done as aforesaid. These operations cause the frame t0 bind tightly in the holder. Therefore, to remove the same, I press thc holder upon the projecting pins QJ /v from a board, QJ, (see Fig. 6,) said pins entering holes provided for them at 5 in q, and acting against the frame 1' itself to eject it from the holder. rlhe holders are to be adapted in size to the frames, and With every change in the size of frame manufactured the position of the pins c in the holes in the board i1 will require to be varied, the blocks a may require to be changed, and the position of the guides t t and the stocks i, carrying the piercers and hammers, will require to be adjusted. By this means the attendant is enabled to perform operations of piercing` and driving by the movement of the foot and the covering of the aWls by the hammer by the motion ot the neck or body, thus leaving his hands at liberty for presenting and holding the frame or other article, and for inserting the ends ofthe nails, brads, or equivalent in the holes pierced by the aWls.

fh at I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. rEhe piercing awl or awls, tted as specitied, in combination with the hammer or hammers that cover the awls and press in the nails, as set forth.

2. The sliding head, actuated by a treadle, in combination with the awls and hammers, actuated as specified, whereby the attendant is at liberty to use his hands in the ,introduction of the nails and the steadying of the frame, as set forth.

3. The construction ot' the holder q to receive the pieces of material forming the frame, and fitted with the springs 3, to retain said pieces in place, as specified.

4. The ejecting-pins c, in combination with the frame r and holder q, for the purposes set forth.

ln Witness whereof I have hereunto set my signature this 23d day of July, 1863.

Vv'. BASGOM.

Vifitnesses:

LEMUEL W. SERRELL, Unas. H. SMITH. 

